The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 337: Pity Selling and Image Building]

Stepping out of the luxurious Silver Lake mansion, Hawke got into the car driven by Edward as they headed to Burbank. This weekend, Nightcrawler, directed by Eric Emerson and starring Tom Cruise, had its private screening hosted by Paramount Pictures at a cinema in Burbank. As the undisclosed prototype of the film, Hawke received the invitation.

"Boss, I got into the missing persons support group," Edward said while driving.

This group originated from Hawke's suggestion, utilizing Twitter's technology and algorithms to create multiple accounts with different ages, genders, addresses, and IPs. Hawke could easily imagine that Harley had fallen into a scam trap, with the only real person in the group being her, while the others were all facilitators, pushing her to take risks.

At that moment, Edward added, "Harley pulled in two people into the group over the weekend, both of whom are family members of the missing."

"Real family members?" Hawke asked.

"Yes," Edward replied. "She's quite capable. Besides contacting the family of victims, she's also reached out to people at the Ackman Medical Center in Orange County. She thinks she can handle that connection."

"I knew she was the right person," Hawke said.

"Campos also mentioned something. Harley replied to the email, wanting to meet the news source," Edward disclosed.

This performance needed to maintain its pace because the audience had not yet arrived in Los Angeles.

...

As they arrived in Burbank, they turned into South Buena Vista Street, stopping in front of a small theater. Hawke got out and showed his invitation to the person at the door. He waited for Edward to join him before they both went inside the theater.

Eric, Katherine, and Tom Cruise stood in the foyer greeting guests.

Hawke quickly walked over, shaking hands with each of them. He glanced at the film's main poster next to them, featuring Tom Cruise standing under the Los Angeles night sky, looking almost ghostly.

"This image is different from your usual look," Hawke noted.

Tom Cruise smiled and replied, "To win awards, I had to change my established image."

Eric chimed in, "Tom's performance is outstanding, definitely deserving of an award."

Hawke maintained a serious expression. "I've always believed that Tom's acting is just as good as any Oscar-winning actor. The reason he hasn't won that trophy yet isn't because he isn't talented, but due to external factors."

Confident and proud, Tom nodded in agreement. "You certainly understand me well."

In the foyer, as there were no other guests around, Hawke said directly, "The older judges at the Academy find it too hard to make it big; they believe that real talent is forged from hardships. Because Tom gained fame so easily, they envy him and will likely place him in the opposing camp, continuously trying to undermine him to assert their authority."

Tom nodded repeatedly, flattering, "Finally, someone is speaking fairly about it. Hawke, I don't know how to thank you."

Hearing this, Eric frowned. "Looks like it won't be easy for us to win an award."

Tom had a clear understanding. "Winning an award isn't just about battling those old-timers; we also have to compete against our rivals."

Noticing more guests arriving, Hawke said, "Let's chat after the screening."

Tom nodded and stepped aside, saying, "Please, go ahead."

...

Katherine accompanied Hawke and Edward into the screening room, stating, "If this film does well, it will be much easier for Eric to seek investors in the future."

Hawke understood the implication but remained silent.

Katherine continued, "The industry in Hollywood is terrible; those aspiring actresses are more shameless than ever. Even before Eric could prepare his new project, they've been bombarding him with their contact information and directly calling him to meet at hotels."

Hawke was well aware that directors in Hollywood faced such situations regularly. Actors had to not just showcase their talents but also navigate their relationships cleverly, often having to please directors and producers.

After thinking it over, he suggested, "You need to have a serious talk with Eric about this."

Katherine sighed. "When Eric wasn't successful, I wished for his rise to prove my foresight and profit from my investment. Now that he's succeeded, I fear his success might be too much for me to keep up with."

"Just keep a level head," Hawke advised. There weren't many male directors in Hollywood who could handle such challenges from actresses. Flipping the situation, he questioned if he would even be able to handle it himself.

After all, the women involved weren't just pretty; they were some of the most famous beauties in America and even worldwide. Why did Hollywood stars often get involved with politicians and wealthy individuals? Why did Hillary have a soft spot for Leonardo?

Katherine noticed that Hawke didn't wish to interfere in her personal matters with Eric, so she stopped pressing further.

...

As Hawke entered the screening room, he sat down on a couch as directed by staff. On one side of the room, Jacqueline noticed him and discreetly approached, taking a seat beside him.

She extended her hand to shake Hawke's, as if they were just meeting for the first time, and introduced herself.

Hawke asked, "I heard from Eric that you've completely given up your side projects."

"Yeah, it's been a while now," Jacqueline softly replied. "After I finish this film, I've landed the role of second female lead in another project thanks to my collaboration with Tom Cruise, which pays enough to live on."

Hawke knew that Jacqueline was the second person to successfully transition from a high-end escort to an actress.

He said, "You haven't run into trouble after leaving your old agent, have you?"

"I joined William Morris, and compared to these real agencies, my old agent doesn't hold up at all... Oh, by the way, my agent is Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson's wife."

Lowering her voice even further, she added, "When I first joined William Morris, I considered asking for your help with publicity, expecting my backstory to be spotlighted when Nightcrawler released. I thought it might cause some trouble, but Dany advised me that it wasn't worth bothering you."

Given their past collaboration and Jacqueline's compliance, Hawke said, "I recall you mentioned that you didn't have a great family life?"

Jacqueline nodded. "It was bad -- my parents divorced early and each started new families. I felt like a burden no one wanted."

"Use that to your advantage. Have Dany draft a press release highlighting your difficult upbringing, perhaps including a few instances of close encounters with harassment or assault to elicit sympathy. Emphasize how you've never let those experiences defeat you, showing your determination and resilience. Focus on your efforts as a woman, fighting for your place, and how hard you've worked to get to this position."

Jacqueline quickly pulled out a notepad, jotting down what Hawke suggested.

Hawke considered for a moment. "Last year, you helped a friend raise funds, right?"

"Yes, for her child who has a congenital disease," Jacqueline replied quickly. "She had to be hospitalized every now and then, which incurred significant costs. I assisted her a few times."

Hawke suggested, "You and Dany should talk to her and get her to support you, maybe she can vouch for you regarding your past work. You joined this line of work to help her and her child. When you moved to Los Angeles, she took you in, but her kid's health might deteriorate. Then an opportunity arose for you to take on that role; you had nothing to lose, and you could use your only asset to raise the money for the child's treatment."

Jacqueline realized that her problems sounded trivial in comparison to what Hawke was suggesting.

When the topic turned to film promotion, Hawke said, "You should also consult with Katherine. These ideas could work for film promotions too. Hollywood and entertainment media love stories about redemption. You're attractive and compassionate, which is a strong angle for promotion."

Jacqueline closed her notepad and said, "I've noted that down."

Hawke concluded, "For the specifics, you should discuss it with Dany."

Jacqueline was eager to call Dany Garcia, exchanged pleasantries with Hawke and Edward, and quickly left the screening room.

Edward watched her hurried departure and remarked, "She's embarking on a whole new path."

Hawke thought Jacqueline left a good impression. "Let's wish her luck."

...

As more people entered the screening room, they were mostly from within Hollywood, with a few critics sprinkled among them. Only about a hundred people filled the large screening room, and the marketing staff from Paramount distributed surveys to everyone present.

Before long, Eric and Tom Cruise also entered the theater, and the screening officially began.

...

Most of the film's scenes unfolded at night, centered on a down-and-out young man who had just arrived in Los Angeles and was determined to achieve the American Dream. By chance, he chose to enter the field of freelance journalism.

The film included scenes of fireworks shoots, street battles, and actively creating news stories, all edited and embellished for the screen.

The film's climax was a massive clash between journalists, mules aiding drug dealers, and the LAPD. The male lead, having landed a major scoop, started earning a high income and founded his own media company.

The content was largely inspired by real cases from West Coast studio, but to match audience acceptance, media opinions, and award considerations, the protagonist's actions received a positive spin, and overly sensitive topics were dramatized for effect.

If Hawke's real-life accomplishments were adapted, the film might have earned a better reception among a select group of viewers. However, from a commercial standpoint, it would likely perform poorly.

As for media opinions, they couldn't expect any favorable reviews after portraying them darkly. Winning awards was even less likely; films with overly somber themes had never been Oscars' cup of tea.

After the screening concluded, the audience erupted into applause.

This was an internal screening, not one to build up hype for ticket sales; the applause faded after about ten seconds.

Edward murmured, "Boss, a film at this year's Cannes Film Festival received over ten minutes of applause."

Hawke selected an A+ rating on the survey and remarked, "A new record for applause will be set soon."

*****

/Sayonara816.